Gender Difference in Training

I have no idea where the stereotype whereby women who lift weights tend to be Big and Bulky came from. As if just by touching dumbbells would magically turn a girl into the hulk (If growing muscle was this easy, bodybuilding would not even be a competitive sport).

In terms of lifting weight, men and women do train in a similar fashion; however, minor differences are still present

Men are stronger?

‘Men are stronger than women’,  I do not disagree nor do I agree with this statement. Biologically, men tend to be taller and bigger than women, so it is rather acceptable to assume men are stronger than women in general. However, it is to be considered that gender do not directly constitute to strength. The strength difference between men and women are mostly (97%) contributed by muscle mass difference. This means that if a man and a woman of the same muscle mass were to lift the same weight there would likely to be only a 3% difference between them. The short answer would be yes, untrained men are generally stronger than a untrained women.

Muscle distribution

Muscle distribution is different between men and women. Women tend to have a higher muscle distribution in their lower body while men have greater muscles in their upper body. Looking at the trend (at least for now) women have always been more active or rather focuses more on lower body training than men (this might not be the case for everyone, I personally do not like lower body training as much as upper body).

In my opinion, muscle distribution might not be the only reason as to why men focuses more on upper body training and women on lower body. There are still social stigmas towards individuals who lift weights in a bodybuilding style for example, V-taper for men (wide shoulder to waist ratio) and a bubble-butt (defined glutes) for women. Personally, I think these expectations still contribute to why individuals gravitate towards certain forms of training.

Endurance vs Explosive

Despite having the same capability to build muscles. Women carry higher amount of type 1 muscle fibers. This explains why women perform better in endurance training. In bodybuilding, women will generally be able to do more reps per set compared to men with the same amount of muscles.

However, this might not be the case for women in explosive training. Due to the distribution of type 1 and 2 muscle fibers, with lesser type 1 fibers, women are not as equipped for explosive training as compared to men.

• Type 1: Slow twitch muscle fiber
• Type 2: Fast twitch muscle fiber

Weight training is still a personal preference,the amount of muscle distribution should not affect how you train. An effective training plan is one that you like, not one that’s built based on your physiology.

If you’re a woman who likes HIIT (High intensity interval training), go for it. If you’re a man who loves marathon, do not hesitate to do so. My point is, despite the presence of physiology difference, it should not be a limiting factor to anyone who wants to exercise.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical health practitioner, registered dietitian, or fitness expert. The content I provide will be based on my personal experience. I recommend that you consult your medical health provider before beginning any fitness or nutritional program.

Note: References are linked to the highlighted text. Some statements are purely my own opinion and experience